Tunxis Confers Awards at 39th Commencement

L to R: Tunxis President Cathyrn L. Addy, Ph.D., presented the Board of Trustees Merit Award to Waldemar Kostrzewa on behalf of the Connecticut Community-Technical College Board of Trustees during Commencement ceremonies on June 2.

Tunxis Community College in Farmington presented awards for service and academic excellence during Commencement ceremonies on June 2.

Waldemar Kostrzewa of Southington was presented the 16th Board of Trustees of Connecticut Community-Technical Colleges Merit Award, which recognizes individuals who have provided extraordinary service to the community colleges and have contributed to students’ quality of life at Tunxis in significant ways. He was honored for his contributions as the former executive director of Tunxis Community College Foundation and Advisory Board, Inc.

“Wally arrived at just the right moment— the Foundation needed someone who could get much of the office reconfigured and take care of the administrative details in order to concentrate on its mission of raising the money that goes into scholarships for students,” said Tunxis President Cathryn L. Addy, Ph.D. “He got the Foundation back on its feet, he energized and inspired all of us with his wit and humor, and he became an important part of this campus family.”

“I’m proud to be recognized for what I’ve always considered was just doing my job,” said Kostrzewa. “Tunxis Community College is a welcoming place where students enroll in credit and non-credit programs that help them meet their goals, and which respond to employer and community needs,” he continued. “I appreciated the chance to work with Tunxis in accomplishing its vision, and it was my pleasure to work with such dedicated and generous Foundation board members.”

Kostrzewa is currently dean of community engagement at Naugatuck Valley Community College. Prior to Tunxis, he worked as acting dean of development at Manchester Community College, and had spent 27 years working for the Chancellor’s Office of the Connecticut Community Colleges in various positions including director of government relations and special assistant to the Chancellor. Kostrzewa, who holds a master’s degree from Central Connecticut State University, is advisory board chair for Central’s Polish and Polish-American Studies program and sits on the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra board. He is also a FranklinCovey certified instructor.

Four Tunxis students were conferred the Board of Trustees Medallion Award for Academic Excellence. The award recognizes outstanding academic accomplishments of associate’s degree graduates. Recipients must have earned a cumulative quality point ratio of 4.0, and have completed at least 50 percent of the degree requirements at Tunxis. The Class of 2010 recipients, by town of residence, and associate degree emphases, are as follows:

Eastford

Jennifer Vincent, Tunxis 2010 valedictorian, general studies

Plainville

Paula Freeman, business office technology: executive

West Hartford

Zachary Rosenzweig, criminal justice

Windsor

Bunni Schile, Tunxis 2010 salutatorian, visual fine arts: photography

Tunxis Community College is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177 in Farmington. Visit Tunxis Community College on the Internet at tunxis.commnet.edu; or call 860.773.1300.

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